It’s crazy! This week I turn 26. I remember thinking way back when, at 22 I have ALL this time until I’m 26 and surely by 26, I will have accomplished so much and be so mature and have my life in order. Ha! Yeah, not so much the case but still trying to get there. In effort to get to where I want to be, here are a few things that I’m going to try and hold myself accountable for this 26th year of my life. I feel like if I share them publicly, I’ll have a better chance of sticking to them.

Moisturizing At Night

To be honest, I’ll go in phases – some nights I won’t skip lathering my face in lotion and other nights I could care less. I’ve heard routine is key when it comes to keeping your skin glowing, so moisturizing on a daily basis is definitely something I want to be better at.

Going To Bed Earlier

Dave and I are both naturally evening people. We love staying up late, making ice cream sundaes and watching a show together in bed. It’s our thing. However, I’ve realized how much the next day changes (in a good way!) when I get a full night’s sleep. When we moved to Colorado and we weren’t used to the time difference yet, it would be 9 p.m. MT (11 p.m. EST) and I would be asleep already! The time change helped me see how great it was to actually go to bed early and it made me want to do it more often.

Getting Rid Of Clothes I Don’t Wear

Moving made me realize how little clothes I actually need and how many clothes I actually have. I gave about 6 big bags of clothes to GoodWill and embarrassingly enough, I still have a closet full of clothes.  When I was debating which clothes to give away (out of the “maybe” pile) my mom said to me, “Just give them all away. Let them be a blessing to someone.” Changing my perspective to see that giving my clothes away wasn’t a loss for me, but a gain for someone else, made me become so much more relentless in donating my things. I’d like to become better about getting rid of clothes that I no longer use and not just do it because I’m moving, but to do it habitually at the end of every season.

Deleting Photos Off My iPhone

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to take a photo on my iPhone and THE trusty notification pops up, “Cannot Take Photo. There is not enough available storage…” Gaahh!! I then ask Dave if I can use his phone to take the photo and he’s usually so patient with me and lets me use his phone. But I secretly know it bothers him and that I should really just delete photos off my phone so that I can use it again. Anyone else have this issue or am I just the worst at deleting photos?!

Planning Trips in Advance

To be honest, when it comes to planning trips, Dave and I don’t have the best track record of planning them in advance. We’re usually pretty last minute. I’d love to take advantage of some of the great cheap flights to visit friends and family and not wait until the last minute like I usually do.

Brushing Samson Out More

This sounds like a silly goal for 26 but if anyone has a Golden Retriever, you’ll totally know what I’m talking about. I’d like to become better at brushing Samson out more. Now that we don’t have an apartment covered in carpet, I can actually see how much dog hair is floating around our place. And man, is it a lot!! We’ll sweep and vacuum and Swiffer and it’s still everywhere! Someone at the dog park told me to brush the dog outside more often and that it will help keep the house cleaner. I figured I’d might as well give it a try!

Not Buying Things That Are Just Fads

Kind of going along with getting rid of clothes, I want to be better about not buying things that are just fads – like that black leather studded vest (what was I thinking?!).

Having More Quiet Time

I’ve been doing this more these days and I want to make a conscious effort to continue. Having quiet time can mean a few different things – sometimes it’s turning off the music in the car and praying or listening to some soothing classical music while I’m at home, soaking in the bath tub, doing a devotional, curling up on the sofa with a cup of tea, leaving my phone in a different room so I don’t get distracted, etc. It’s basically slowing down for a second and not thinking about the appointments that need to be made, the bills that need to get paid, the dog that needs to be walked, the laundry that needs to be folded, the emails that need to be responded to… you know what I mean!